Hypoglycemic Effect of Electroacupuncture Combined with Antrodia cinnamomea in Dexamethasone-Induced Insulin-Resistant Rats

Objective: Antrodia cinnamomea (AC), a medicinal mushroom indigenous to Taiwan, exerts various pharmacologic activities. This study compared and evaluated the hypoglycemic effect of treatment with electroacupuncture (EA) combined with AC in steroid-induced insulin-resistant (SIIR) rats. Materials and Methods: Rats were divided into saline, EA, AC, AC+EA, and rosiglitazone (TZD) groups. Plasma-glucose levels were measured in serial blood samples and compared before and after treatment in each group. The levels of signaling proteins-glucose transporter 4, (GLUT4), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K), and 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-were analyzed by Western blotting to explore their mechanisms of action. Results: The AC+EA group had reduced plasma-glucose levels at 30 and 60 minutes in SIIR rats, compared to normal rats, and this was better than the EA, AC, and TZD groups at 60 minutes. Furthermore, the signaling protein (GLUT4, PI3-K, and AMPK) levels were increased significantly. Conclusions: These findings showed improved hypoglycemic activity and insulin resistance after EA combined with AC treatment. Therefore, the combined therapy might be a more-effective method than the individual therapies that elevates the expression of the signal proteins, as observed in this study.